Fxxx Airline Ticket Policy.

[OHGoDive]

We sometimes take the earlier flights if they have room without paying the change. I have missed flights and gotten on the next one without a change fee. I found the posts really helpful for the general way they do things...but the truth is, once you are at the gate, they pretty much try and deal with you.

Rondawg, which travel insurance do you use?


the other little trick about medical situations...is that you can make them decide they don't want you on the flight.

For travel insurance there's a site that I use called http:\\www.insuremytrip.com that lets you compare different companies. It shows prices and features, with great explanations of coverages. I've used it for my last 2 big trips, and used a different insurer each time. It's fun to see what they all offer, and the difference in prices.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Depends on the airline and the trip. Contractually; once the ticket is purchased it is up to you to meet the terms and conditions of carriage as spelled out in the contract.

Never the less, I've gotten a full refund on a restricted ticket when a medical problem prevented travel. Didn't need anything but my verbal explanation.

In another case they just charged me the Change Fee to be able to use the ticket later. Since I fly so much anyway that was no problem.

BUT, with another airline I always, always buy travel insurance because they won't budge an inch. Very rigid in saying a contract is a contract.

Sorry about your folks. But it sounds like the airline followed the rules.

 

[RonDawg]

Rondawg, which travel insurance do you use?

I've been using Access America most of the time, as they are AAA's recommended insurer, but I will try that InsureMyTrip.com site to see the rates of other companies as well.

 

[Hoosier]

Yes, a rule is a rule and contact is contract at this moment. So, I already paid $800 fines for two tickets. Done deal.

If then, my point is why this contact is always in one way, not both way. Please read all posts on this thread. We are so much accustomed to the airline ticket policy without having any bargaining power.

No matter what kind of tickets you have, if the airline company can't meet the contract, they should give some compensation for a waiting customer at the airport. But, I never had it... Why? Because I have a cheap & restricted ticket. So, the airline companies can't break the contract whatever reasons they have?

Do you believe that the same policy and rule is applied to other industry?

In addition, they never say "Sorry" no matter how many hours the customer is waiting.
Their simple answer is always, "take it or go home."

 

[OHGoDive]

Well, you're contracting with them for a service. To get you from point A to point B. That's really about it, they don't have to get you there at a certain time or within so many minutes of the published schedule. They just have to get you there.

If you don't use those seats, and you turn them back in for a full refund, maybe the airline can sell the seats to someone else, maybe not. It's not like people are lining up to fly from Des Moines, IA to Plano, TX for example. So, by getting the cheap fare, you're covering the chance that they might have to eat those seats if you back out. Seems fair.

Plus, they can and do compensate people if they've waited long enough. Meal vouchers, overnight accomodations, etc., even for people flying at discount prices. Mind you, this still makes these sorts of things annoying. But, most of the time, people with the cheaper tickets show up, get from point A to point B, and everyone is happy.

So, it sort of does go both ways. You get cheaper fares, they get cover for the risk of flying empty seats.

There are way more things to be annoyed at airlines about.

Oh, but do try and call someone else at the airline, or better yet, write/email a letter to their customer relations office. If you're polite and explain to them the circumstances and basically grovel, they very well may, at the very least, issue you a voucher for future travel. Better than nothing, right?

 

[Diver Dennis]

The only time I don't buy cancellation insurance is if I'm flying in the next few days. I have received some type of compensation, meals or hotels for flights delayed over 4 or 5 hours.

 

[DandyDon]

The only time I don't buy cancellation insurance is if I'm flying in the next few days. I have received some type of compensation, meals or hotels for flights delayed over 4 or 5 hours.

I'm the same on International tickets, and I guess all of yours are. And I have received a lot of vouchers from airlines over the years for delayed flights.

Hoosier, my best wishes to your mom, hope she feels better soon, but the public wants cheap plane tickets, the airlines have to manage supply and demand and they cannot do this for us if they allow customers to change restricted ticets becuase "my mom doesn’t feel good." If they want "cancel for any reason" insurance, it is available. At least get basic Trip Ins for international tickets. :shakehead

 

[gregorio]

BUYING PAINT FROM A HARDWARE STORE:

Customer: Hi. How much is your paint?
Clerk: We have regular quality for $12 a gallon and premium for $18. How many gallons would you like?
Customer: Five gallons of regular quality, please.
Clerk: Great. That will be $60 plus tax.

BUYING PAINT FROM AN AIRLINE:

Customer: Hi, how much is your paint?
Clerk: Well, sir, that all depends.
Customer: Depends on what?
Clerk: Actually, a lot of things.
Customer: How about giving me an average price?
Clerk: Wow, that's too hard a question. The lowest price is $9 a gallon, and we have 150 different prices up to $200 a gallon.
Customer: What's the difference in the paint?
Clerk: Oh, there isn't any difference; it's all the same paint.
Customer: Well, then, I'd like some of that $9 paint.
Clerk: Well, first I need to ask you a few questions. When do you intend to use it?
Customer: I want to paint tomorrow, on my day off.
Clerk: Sir, the paint for tomorrow is the $200 paint.
Customer: What? When would I have to paint in order to get the $9 version?
Clerk: That would be in three weeks, but you will also have to agree to start painting before Friday of that week and continue painting until at least Sunday.
Customer: You've got to be kidding!
Clerk: Sir, we don't kid around here. Of course, I'll have to check to see if we have any of that paint available before I can sell it to you.
Customer: What do you mean check to see if you can sell it to me? You have shelves full of that stuff; I can see it right there.
Clerk: Just because you can see it doesn't mean that we have it. It may be the same paint, but we sell only a certain number of gallons on any given weekend. Oh, and by the way, the price just went to $12.
Customer: You mean the price went up while we were talking!
Clerk: Yes, sir. You see, we change prices and rules thousands of times a day, and since you haven't actually walked out of the store with your paint yet, we just decided to change. Unless you want the same thing to happen again, I would suggest that you get on with your purchase. How many gallons do you want?
Customer: I don't know exactly. Maybe five gallons. Maybe I should buy six gallons just to make sure I have enough.
Clerk: Oh, no, sir, you can't do that. If you buy the paint and then don't use it, you will be liable for penalties and possible confiscation of the paint you already have.
Customer: What?
Clerk: That's right. We can sell you enough paint to do your kitchen, bathroom, hall and north bedroom, but if you stop painting before you do the bedroom, you will be in violation of our tariffs.
Customer: But what does it matter to you whether I use all the paint? I already paid you for it!
Clerk: Sir, there's no point in getting upset; that's just the way it is. We make plans based upon the idea that you will use all the paint, and when you don't, it just causes us all sorts of problems.
Customer: This is crazy! I suppose something terrible will happen if I don't keep painting until after Saturday night!
Clerk: Yes, sir, it will.
Customer: Well, that does it! I'm going somewhere else to buy my paint.
Clerk: That won't do you any good, sir. We all have the same rules. Thanks for painting with our airline.

 

[gregorio]

Fares conditions always specify if the ticket is refundable in case or illness or not, I don't think you can get a refund if it is not specified before.
For rescheduling, airport office have more power than agencies or booking center.

Keep in mind that airport taxes are always refundable (at least in Europe), even for non refundable tickets but you have to ask it.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Yes, a rule is a rule and contact is contract at this moment. So, I already paid $800 fines for two tickets. Done deal.

If then, my point is why this contact is always in one way, not both way. Please read all posts on this thread. We are so much accustomed to the airline ticket policy without having any bargaining power.

No matter what kind of tickets you have, if the airline company can't meet the contract, they should give some compensation for a waiting customer at the airport. But, I never had it... Why? Because I have a cheap & restricted ticket. So, the airline companies can't break the contract whatever reasons they have?

Do you believe that the same policy and rule is applied to other industry?

In addition, they never say "Sorry" no matter how many hours the customer is waiting.
Their simple answer is always, "take it or go home."

Literally, the carriage contract binds both you and the airline.

Most of the airlines I fly do give compensation if they can't meet the contract terms. If it is something they do, like change the schedule for their own benefit, they will give a full refund. If it is a problem like weather, or mechanical breakdown they typically subsidize my expenses for the delay. They don't do that as extensively as in prior years; but they do help out.

In fact on more than one occasion when I complained about shabby treatment I've been given something to make up for it. Once it was even a free round trip ticket to anywhere the airline flew.

But, this kind of thing only happens if you are as liberal with your praise when they do things right as you are with your criticism when they make a mistake. I am free with my feedback to the airlines I ride. I figure that if management is on the ball they will appreciate my opinion and take it into consideration when making decisions. So, far results have justified my opinion.

Oh yes; the "other industry" question: So far the only industry I've encountered where customer feedback is fairly routinely either ignored or greeted defensively is the scuba dive industry. I've discovered it is the exception for a scuba company to react positively to customer criticism. It seems most places are predisposed to interpret any adverse criticism as personal attacks rather than as opportunities to improve their business and customer relations.